Number of blocked websites soars 500%

This year is becoming Thailand's 21st century version of George Orwell's "1984" - as the number of blocked websites has risen 500 per cent since the coup, according to the campaign group Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT).

The "blocklist" numbered 13,435 websites as of January 11, compared to 2,475 on October 13 last year.

The huge jump showed "a frightening increase in thought control and abrogation of civil liberties and human rights in Thailand," FACT said in a statement.

"2007 may well be the 21st century's '1984' in Thailand," it said.

Some anti-coup websites such as 19sep.org have been blocked six times since the coup took place last September.

"In the wake of September 19, many Thai Web discussion boards were blocked or ordered to self-censor, stifling freedom of expression and freedom of association," FACT said.

It said the identity of blocked websites had not been disclosed to the public, and government agencies had not revealed what criteria they used in regard to blocking sites.

The group said that the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT), which does much of the censorship, had a budget of Bt5 billion.

"It would appear Internet censorship is the only function of the Ministry of 'Information' yet MICT discloses no information to the Thai taxpayers."

The group is currently running a campaign against Internet censorship and has urged the public to participate by joining them at http://facthai.wordpress.com.

Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation
Thu, February 1, 2007